A point and scroll mouse is a computer input device that combines the standard pointing and clicking functionality of a conventional two button mouse with the addition of a rotating scroll wheel positioned between the two primary buttons, providing a third input control that enables the user to scroll through documents, web pages, and image editing interfaces smoothly and efficiently without the need to click and drag scroll bars. The USB interface through which the point and scroll mouse connects to the computer ensures reliable, platform compatible connectivity with both Mac and Windows systems, and supports the hot plug connection and disconnection that allows the mouse to be connected and immediately recognised without restarting the computer.
In the context of digital photography and image editing, the point and scroll mouse is a particularly practical and well suited input device. The scroll wheel provides an efficient means of navigating through long contact sheets and image libraries, scrolling through the panels and adjustment sliders of image editing applications such as Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, and zooming in and out of images when the scroll wheel is used in combination with a modifier key - a function that allows the photographer to quickly inspect fine detail in an image at high magnification and return to an overview with minimal effort and without reaching for the keyboard or toolbar zoom controls.
The two primary buttons of the point and scroll mouse provide left click and right click functionality, both of which are programmable via the mouse's control panel software to perform specific actions according to the user's workflow preferences. The left button typically performs the primary selection, activation, and tool application functions within image editing software - clicking to place cursor points, select tools, activate menu items, and apply adjustments - while the right button provides access to contextual menus that offer application-specific options relevant to whatever element the cursor is currently positioned over, allowing rapid access to common commands without navigating through the main menu system.
The design of the point and scroll mouse to be comfortable for both right and left handed users, with the option to reassign the button functions for left handed operation, reflects the ergonomic importance of a well fitted input device for photographers who spend extended periods at the computer processing and editing images. Poor ergonomics in the primary input device can contribute to repetitive strain injuries and discomfort that affect productivity and long term health, making the choice of a comfortable, appropriately configured mouse an important practical consideration for photographers engaged in high volume image processing workflows.